by Monica Jones

Whether it’s sorbet or soft serve, custard or gelato, cold, sweet treats are certain to appease broken hearts and soothe frazzled tempers. You could buy ice cream, or—what else do you have going on in August?—whip up some decadent ice-cream-like concoctions in your own kitchen. 

Whatever your recipe, you need to cool it and churn it for a smooth result. You can find both hand-crank and electric machines for under $50, and the nostalgia factor rates high with hand cranks. Electric ice cream machines take less effort, but they can be noisy. Our favorite trendy ice cream maker for the summer is the plastic ball-shaped maker that you can put a mixture in and then roll, throw or kick around. It’s often called the Play and Freeze, though there are knockoffs. It’s incredibly easy to use, comes in more colors than an iPod and now you can find versions of it everywhere, from L.L. Bean to Wal-Mart.

Graeme Watson, owner of Simple Simon’s Sweets and Savories in Tryon, says it’s the fat content that makes the difference in ice cream. The less cream in the milk base, the bigger the ice crystals, so there’s more air trapped inside. His ice cream is made with 16% milk fat, so the texture is creamier and it doesn’t melt as fast. He uses extracts and in-season fruits to concoct his flavors. Seasonals do well, like peach, peppermint candy and apple cinnamon, but chocolate, the old standby, “outsells everything by three to one,” he says. Sally Kammann, co-owner of Kamm’s Custard in the Grove Arcade in Asheville, uses pasteurized egg yolks in their recipes—which is hard to do at home, she points out. But homemade custard is well worth the effort. Ice cream is grainier than frozen custard, and custard doesn’t get really hard like ice cream, she says. It’s satiny smooth and feels good on the tongue. Chocolate and vanilla are the basic blends, but you can smash any sort of summery fruit into the mix, as they do at the store. Her best tip: Cook the custard base to ensure there’s no danger of salmonella. Enjoy!

Try these (almost) foolproof ice cream recipes

Frozen Custard
from Sally Kammann of Kamm’s Custard in Asheville

6 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk
3/4 cup sugar
3 T. honey
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups whipping cream
1 T. vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan, whisk together eggs, milk, sugar, honey and salt. Stir constantly, over low heat, until mixture is thick enough to coat metal spoon and reaches at least 160 degrees. Cool quickly by setting pan in ice or cold water and stirring for few minutes. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least one hour. When ready to freeze, pour chilled custard, whipping cream and vanilla into a one-gallon ice cream freezer can. Freeze according to manufacturer’s directions using six parts ice to one part rock salt. Transfer to freezer containers and freeze until firm. Makes 1 1/2 to 2 quarts. 

Strawberry/Vanilla Ice Cream
from Graeme Watson of Simple Simon’s Sweets and Savories in Tryon    

2 cups milk
2 cups full cream
2 cups pureed strawberries
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
tiny pinch of salt (to make the flavors pop)
There is no sugar in this recipe—the fruit puree is sweetness enough. Blend all ingredients together and then follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for your machine. Makes about 1 1/2 quarts.

 
No-Frills Ice Cream
No machine or fancy ingredients needed.  

1 T. sugar
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract (or a big slug of chocolate syrup)
6 T. rock salt
1 pint-size Ziploc plastic bag
1 gallon-size Ziploc plastic bag
Ice cubes    Fill the gallon-size bag half full with ice. Add rock salt. Put milk, sugar and vanilla (or chocolate syrup, or both) into the pint-size bag and seal tightly. Place small bag inside large bag and seal well. Shake for five or ten minutes, wipe off the small bag, open carefully, grab a spoon and indulge.  Be prepared, things can get messy.